A bill that extends the moratorium on issuing any new medical cannabis business licenses in Oklahoma to August 1, 2026, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The earlier two-year moratorium was scheduled to end August 1, 2024.
House Bill 2095, which also grants the state Attorney General’s office, the state’s Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation authority over medical cannabis law enforcement, is designed to crack down on illegal cannabis, KFOR reported.
There are 6,675 registered growers in the state, according to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.
The bill is one of four designed to combat a proliferation of illicit sellers and growers in the state.
“The illegal marijuana industry is crawling with Mexican cartels and Chinese crime syndicates that pose a serious threat to public safety, particularly in our rural communities,” Attorney General Gentner Drummond told KFOR.
“Gov. Sttt’s approval of HB 2095 ensures the Attorney General’s Office and our excellent law enforcement partners have the tools and authority to shut down these dangerous criminal enterprises.”
